You really think someone is going to trade a good defenseman for Tootoo, Samuelsson or Bertuzzi? Share with me what you've been smoking, please!

Holland has backed himself into a corner and our choices are trading a good young player like Nyquist or Tatar or trying to give away Tootoo, Eaves or Emmerton. Everyone knows Holland has too many players and is over the cap. Who's going to offer anything?

You can't just put a player on LTIR. They have rules. Samuelsson has told anyone who will listen that he does not need surgery. Betruzzi played last post season. Chris Pronger is legitimately injured with severe concussion symptoms. The only reason they aren't taking him off LTIR is because of the big contract. But they can keep him there because he IS hurt.

Nah, Sammy and Bert come off the books next year. Save the 1st's, we are going to need them to not put our new scouts in a position to fail. I think a trade is probably going to send us a top pairing defenseman, which will alleviate the log jam. Plus I want to see Sammy's career end in Toledo...

The Philadelphia Flyers' first pick at the NHL Draft was a 6-6 defenseman who likes to fight. If that sounds familiar, it should.

Chris Pronger, currently on long-term injured reserve with post-concussion syndrome and vision problems stemming from a stick to the eye in 2011, helped scout Samuel Morin.

Nah, Sammy and Bert come off the books next year. Save the 1st's, we are going to need them to not put our new scouts in a position to fail. I think a trade is probably going to send us a top pairing defenseman, which will alleviate the log jam. Plus I want to see Sammy's career end in Toledo...

Not positive on this, but I don't think a player with his experience can just be optioned to the minors. He'd have to go willingly, which I don't think he'd do. Even if he went, we're still on the hook for the cap hit.

You guys are being silly... the Red Wings defense is fine and right on par with most other teams in the league. It is far better than s***sburg's for example, better than the Rangers, the Habs, the Kings, the Ducks, etc. Keep in mind, we will now have Danny Dekeyser for an entire season... look at his impact he had once we signed him. Even Babs said we did not make playoffs had we not signed him. Also, last year we had tons of injuries to our Defense so they were never really able to mesh with a partner. I think Smith especially will show much more offense abilities this year while he gets to mesh with a partner.

This is the lineup I think Babs will look to start the season with and it looks damn good to me.

The Philadelphia Flyers' first pick at the NHL Draft was a 6-6 defenseman who likes to fight. If that sounds familiar, it should.

Chris Pronger, currently on long-term injured reserve with post-concussion syndrome and vision problems stemming from a stick to the eye in 2011, helped scout Samuel Morin.

Not positive on this, but I don't think a player with his experience can just be optioned to the minors. He'd have to go willingly, which I don't think he'd do. Even if he went, we're still on the hook for the cap hit.

He can, but it'd be like a 2.1 cap hit, as opposed to the full 3.

"BURIED CONTRACTS (Wade Redden Rule)

Money paid to players outside of the NHL counts against the cap.

A one-way contract counts against the cap as follows:

cap hit – [ minimum salary + $375,000 ]

Example: If Wade Redden plays in the minors in 2012-13, he counts as follows.

$6.5M – [ $525,000 + $375,000 ] = $5.6M"

The most popular choice among the Red Wings as to who would volunteer to play goalie – several Panthers did in their game – was Brendan Smith.

"He's pretty competitive and he seems to be good at everything," Justin Abdelkader said. "He'd volunteer himself."

Babcock was a bit more hesitant about Smith. "Yeah, yeah, just work on getting out of your zone," Babcock said

#1: A team is desperate to hit the cap floor and needs to add.
#2: The Wings attach a prospect with him to entice another team to take him.
#3: The Wings agree to retain some of his salary in a deal with another team.

Either way, I think they're going to have to move him. There's just no space.

The most popular choice among the Red Wings as to who would volunteer to play goalie – several Panthers did in their game – was Brendan Smith.

"He's pretty competitive and he seems to be good at everything," Justin Abdelkader said. "He'd volunteer himself."

Babcock was a bit more hesitant about Smith. "Yeah, yeah, just work on getting out of your zone," Babcock said

The Philadelphia Flyers' first pick at the NHL Draft was a 6-6 defenseman who likes to fight. If that sounds familiar, it should.

Chris Pronger, currently on long-term injured reserve with post-concussion syndrome and vision problems stemming from a stick to the eye in 2011, helped scout Samuel Morin.

Not positive on this, but I don't think a player with his experience can just be optioned to the minors. He'd have to go willingly, which I don't think he'd do. Even if he went, we're still on the hook for the cap hit.

Capgeek doesn't have him listed as LTIR and he's still counting against their cap.

#1: A team is desperate to hit the cap floor and needs to add.
#2: The Wings attach a prospect with him to entice another team to take him.
#3: The Wings agree to retain some of his salary in a deal with another team.

Either way, I think they're going to have to move him. There's just no space.

When the alternative is, "we'll waive you and send you to Grand Rapids/Toledo" you don't think he would?

Would be nice if he did, but he obviously didn't want to move around hence why he got the NTC. In my uninformed opinion, he will go sit in the minors, receive his paycheck, and claim injury there before doing something to help the organization out. Plus that's kinda what I want to happen. He would have got 2 mil to go to free agency, so give him 2 mil to watch minor league hockey and not play for a year. That would effectively end his career.

Does anyone here actually believe that the Wings would send Sammy, an NHL vet, and well liked teamate to TOLEDO!?!?!

Not a chance the wings show such little class. At worst, they may try sending him to GR, no way he goes any further down than that.

Well I respond - did anyone actually believe Sammy would be so low to claim injured status to avoid being bought out after seeming perfectly fine and having a broken nail? That was showing little class.

Is there a kickstarter campaign for Jakub Kindl to never play another NHL game?